Rock loosening and impregnating device.



PE. OSBNINQ AND IM REGNA nrmoA-Tlon FILED mm 2 F. TRIP ROCK L0 P Patented July 25, 1911.

TING DEVICE.

F7722 77?) BY p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRITZ TRIPPE, OF DORTMUND, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GEWERKSCI-IAFT DORSTFELD, OF DORS'IFELD, GERMANY.

ROCK LOOSENING AND IMPBEGNATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRITZ TRIPPE, a citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing at Dortmund, in the Empire of Germany, have invented a new and useful Rock'Loosening and Impregnating Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a device adapted to tamp a bore-hole made in any rock or coal-stratum and to force any quantity of water under pressure from an end portion of the bore-hole through the faults and crevices in the rock or coal-stratum for breaking down or loosening therock, while the water is prevented from escaping directly through the bore-hole to without.

The new device essentially comprises a forcing tube adapted to be introduced into the bore-hole, a sleeve of elastic material tightly surrounding the end of the forcing tube between a flange at the end of the tube and another flange at the end of the wider tube put over the forcing tube. Means are provided on the forcing tube without the borehole for displacing the outer tube so as to compress or release the elastic sleeve. In its compressed state the elastic sleeve is pressed for its whole length on the one hand against the inside of the bore-hole and on the other hand against the outer surface of the forcing tube, so that the water under pressure is prevented from escaping through the bore-hole.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, which represents a longitudinal section through the device and the rock, an intermediate part being omitted.

1 denotes a bore-hole of any suitable length driven into the rock or coal-stratum her 4 of a convenient length is left at the end of the bore. A flange 5 is fastened at the end of the forcing tube 3 in any known manner, for example by means of a screw thread as shown. The flange 5 is shown to have on the inner side an annular projection 6 of a tapering or wedge-shaped cross section. A wider tube 7 is loosely put over the forcing tube 3 and has at its inner end a flange 8 with an annular projection 9 on its outer side. The projection 9 is similar in cross section to 6. The tube 7 should project from the bore-hole 1. A sleeve 10 of elastic material (rubber for instance) is' put on the forcing tube 1; between the two flanges 5 and 8 and ismad of such a diameter, that it loosely fits the bore-hole 1. It is provided at its end faces with grooves 11 and 12, in which the projections 6 and 9 respectively engage. The outer projecting end of the forcing tube 3 is provided on its outside with a screw-thread 13 of a suitable length, with which a handle 1 1 can engage. The

handle 1% is adapted to bear with its nave against the outer end face of the outer tube 7. It will be understood, that by turning the handle 14. in the respective direction the elastic sleeve 10 can be compressed for its whole length with the aid of the outer tube 7, so that the material of the sleeve 10 can be forced on the one hand against the wall of the bore-hole 1 and on the other hand against the outer surface of the forcing tube 3. By turning the handle 14: in the opposite direction the sleeve 10 can be released, so that the whole device can be withdrawn. The forcing tube 3 may be connected with a flange 15,

either directly or by means of suitable parts 16 and 17 as the case may be. The flange 15 may be connected by means of screws with the flange 18 of some other forcing tube 19 leading to a pump or other source of water under pressure.

When the water under a sufiiciently high pressure (of say from 25 to 30 atmospheres) is introduced through the two forcing tubes 19 and 3 into the chamber 4, it will penetrate the faults, cleavages and crevices in the rock or coal-stratum for breaking down or loosening and impregnating the mass before it returns to without through the rock. The properly tightened elastic sleeve 10 prevents the water under pressure from returning from the chamber 4 directly to the remaining part of the bore-hole 1. In this manner the rock can be easily and without danger turned into a state which permits its easy removal without the use of explosives. In the case of a layer of coal it can be not only loosened, but also moistened for preventing the formation of dangerous dust in getting the coal.

The device described can be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a rock loosening and impregnating device, the combination with a forcing tube adapted to be inserted in a bore-hole, of an elastic sleeve surrounding said forcing tube at its end and loosely fitting the bore-hole, and means for compressing said elastic sleeve over its whole length so as to press its ma terial on the one hand against the inside of the bore-hole and on the other hand against the outer surface of said forcing tube, whereby the tube is thoroughly and carefully packed against the walls of the bore-hole, said tube being adapted to permit the introduction of any quantity of water under pressure into an end portion of the borehole for penetrating the faults and crevices in the rock, and said means being adapted to release at will said sleeve for withdrawing the device from the bore-hole.

2. In a rock loosening and impregnating device, the combination with a forcing tube having a flange at one end and adapted to be therewith inserted in a bore-hole, of an elastic sleeve surrounding said forcing tube and adapted to bear against its flange while loosely fitting the bore-hole, an outer tube surrounding said tube and adapted to bear against saicl sleeve, and means for displacing said outer tube with regard to said tube so as to compress and release said sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to be compressed over its whole length so as to press its material on the one hand against the inside of the borehole and on the other hand against the outer surface of said forcing tube, whereby the forcing tube is thoroughly and carefully packed against the walls of the bore-hole, and said forcing tube being adapted to per mit the introduction of any quantity of water under pressure into an end port-ion of the bore-hole for penetrating the faults, cleavages and crevices in the rock.

8. In a rock loosening and impregnating device, the combination with a forcing tube having a flange at one end and a scre\vthread at the other end, it being adapted to be inserted with its flange in a bore-hole and to project therefrom, of an elastic sleeve surrounding said forcing tube and adapted to bear against its flange while loosely fitting the bore-hole, an outer tube surrounding said tube and adapted to bear against said sleeve and to project from the bore-hole, a nut fitting the screw-thread of said tube and adapted to bear against said outer tube, and means for turning said nut so as to compress and release said sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to be compressed over its whole length so as to press its material on the one hand against the inside of the bore-hole and on the other hand against the outer surface of said forcing tube, whereby the forcing tube is thoroughly and carefully packed against the walls of the bore-hole, and said forcing tube being adapted. to permit the in troduction of any quantity of water under pressure into an end portion of the bore-hole for penetrating the faults and crevices in the rock.

FRITZ TRIPPE. [L. s.] lVitnesses CHAS. J. lVRIerrr, ALFRED HENKEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

